Tempests, Scoundrels, and Mimes
by The Coyote
Summary: A series of drabbles/oneshots that include dramatic monologue, romance, and comedy! but mostly romance... Rated K plus for safety. Mainly focused on Zuko, with exceptions. Pairings inside, please R and R


**a/n:** Hai there! For those who don't recognize the username, I used to be The Blue Man Groupie. Not well known at all, but still! Anyways, this is my first attempt at making a series of oneshots. I feel this will be easier for me, because I have a tendency to lose interest when writing long things. I'm hoping to have multiple onesies, not just romance. But that seems to be what I do best :/ Anyways, here's a list of the pairings I may include in the future: ZukoxKatara, KataraxAang, SokkaxSuki, ZukoxOC. When I say OC, I'm talking about my character Jie from one story I've written before and one story in the making. I feel that if I make a few drabbles with her and Zuko, I may get the inspiration back to continue the sequal, Bao Nian Jie. So, if you haven't read those yet and are intriqued by this first little oneshot, please feel free to read Feng Jie the Wind Spirit, and the first two chapters of Bao Nian Jie. While I'm on that topic, yes I know it's been a while since I've updated that story, but I have a big fat chapter in process on my other computer. So hopefully there will be an update in the near future.

**disclaimer:** no, I don't own ATLA or any of its characters... I don't even own the season DVDs TT-TT

**setting: **Right before the Boiling Rock. My plot hole is that the gaang is not at the western air temple, but some foresty area... .

"God, how can you be so… ugh!"

"Katara… wait!"

She disappeared into the trees, trembling with fury over their exchanged words. He followed, stumbling over himself in the darkness, now that the moon was cloaked by trees.

"I didn't mean it, I'm sorry!"

There was no response for a moment, only the sound of the wind in the trees and his feet crushing fragrant dead leaves. The scent pushed at his senses, ingraining itself in his memories. Then her voice shot back at him, further ahead and a little to the left. He changed his direction, following that sweet sound. He could hear the soft trickle of water ahead. So she was by the stream the gang had found earlier that day.

"Leave me alone!"

His pace quickened, his eyes now adjusted to the darkness. Plus, ahead he could see an opening in the trees, and the moonlight reflected on moving water. Once he reached the stream, his pace slowed, and he saw her. She was kneeling, her hands moving through the water, her back to him. Her hair was unraveled from her braids and "hair-loops". A slight breeze made it rustle against her shoulders, and all he could think of was how he wanted to run his fingers through her hair in a gesture of tenderness. But her shoulders were trembling, as if she were crying. He paused, and then moved to stand beside her. She didn't look up at him, but kept moving her fingers through the stream, creating small whirlpools that quickly disappeared with the current.

"I'm sorry about what I said… it's just hard to keep seeing that there's hope in this world when everything we see is destroyed."

Katara shook her head at him, sniffling. She still didn't meet his burning gaze but kept her head down.

"You don't understand. Hope is all that we have left. If you try to destroy it in front of the entire group here, how can they possibly have enough hope to face the summer solstice without despair?"

He was silent for a moment, pondering what she said. Conviction laced every one of her words, and they hung in the cool night air as if their meaning was weighing them down. He sat down beside her on the shore, feeling the weight of her words and the days ahead of them.

"I think we have more than hope, though," he said, trying to give her a small smile. He wasn't used to showing this kind of tenderness to anybody. It felt alien, but good at the same time.

Her hands paused their circles in the water, and she lifted her head slightly to glance at him. Her eyes reflected the moonlight.

"Like what, what else do we have now? My father is in jail, along with everyone else who could have helped us. They're stuck in some Fire Nation prison! Or worse… they could be…" she couldn't finish, and tears welled anew and spilled down her cheeks.

He put his hand on her shoulder, a touch that he had been longing for. She stiffened, then relaxed. He was careful to be ever so gentle, conscious of the warmth that passed between them. Daring to say the next words, he breathed deeply.

"We… have each other."

Her shoulder stiffened again under his hand again, and he inhaled sharply, afraid of her judgment.

"Please Zuko… I…"

He didn't let her get any farther. He tugged her shoulder back to have her face him, expecting some resistance, but found none. Quickly before any doubt could pass between them he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. She inhaled, as if in surprise, but Zuko deepened the kiss, opening his mouth slightly, in an invitation for her. At first no response, but as he shut his mouth she opened hers and her sweet breath intermingled with his. Zuko's head whirled, and behind closed eyes he swore he could see the stars. Timidly, he set one hand on the side of her head and let his fingers burrow there way through her soft hair.

They sat that way for a moment, hardly moving, as if they were both afraid that if they were to move, the spell would be broken. It couldn't last forever, though, and Katara was the first to pull away. Zuko sighed and rested his forehead on hers, his eyes half closed as if he were in a dreamlike state.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Katara lifted her head away, so she could get a better glimpse of the Fire Prince before her.

"Why?" was all she could ask.

"For… questioning the faith I have in this. In what we're doing. And for… well…" here, the mighty Prince blushed and turned away from Katara, closing his golden eyes partly in shame. He also felt extremely proud of himself, for being able to express his feelings in a… not so violent way.

Katara smiled and grabbed Zuko by the chin lightly, making him look at her.

"You don't need to be sorry." And she kissed him back. His eyes widened in surprise, but soon he lost himself in her kiss.


End file.
